General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 63, 17 March 1943, Page 4

General News

Girl Needed Bigger Ration. The heaviest of the South Australian outsized children to apply for extra ration tickets is a 15-year-old girl. She is sft. 4in. and weighs 16st. 121 b. Committee Elections A decision that May 3 be the date fixed for the elections of parents’ representatives to committees of the Wanganui and Palmerston North Intermediate Schools, was reached by the Wanganui Education Board at its monthly meeting yesterday.

School Dental Clinic. A recommendation that an addition be provided to the St. John's HH; School for a dental clinic was made by the architect, Mr. E. R. Hodge, and adopted by the Wanganui Education Board at its monthly meeting yesterday. It was reported that at present temporary accommodation for the clinic was provided in a private home. The clinic is visited periodically by a dental nurse.

War Savings Quota. With very little carry-over and the daily receipts so far this week lower than for some time past, Wanganui is faced with a hard task this week of maintaining its unbroken quota of War Savings successes. “Over £l2OO is needed this week to fill the quota,” said the district organiser, Mr. J. Gillick, last night, and he appealed to investors to continue their interest in this important phase of the war effort. Intermediate School.

“This is the tenth year of the establishment of the Intermediate School in Wanganui,” said Mr. J. C. Batt at a meeting of the Wanganui Education Board yesterday. The School Committee requested that the science room be modernised and refurnished, stating that the equipment was second-hand and that the school had been at a disadvantage. The board decided that an endeavour would be made to improve the equipment.

Physical Education. Physical development was an important aspect of education in this district, said the senior inspector, Mr. B. N. T. Blake, at a meeting of the Wanganui Education Board yesterday. “It is evident,” he added, “that the district is being well served. The board can be assured that physical education, so important to the present and future health of the community, is on a very sound footing. This year it is likely to reach even a higher standard of efficiency than last year.” Just the Type. “Can you type?” asked the business man of a young woman who applied for an advertised fiosition. “I’m afraid I can't” was her rather pathetic reply, because she wanted the job, her husbond being overseas with the forces. “Well, what is there you can do? continued the head of the firm. “I’m afraid I’m rather useless at most things,” she replied, without hope. “That’s all right,” he stated enthusiastically, “you’re just the person I need. At last I’ve found someone the manpower officer won’t take from me.” Honour for Elderly Worker. Mr. Harry Hargreaves, “a real Yorkshire lad of 73,” recently received the British Empire Medal for operating a lathe at a machine-tool factory. He has been a lathe worker for 57 years; since the war he has just worked his lathe harder. The almost incredible efforts of British housewives in this war got recognition in the award of the British Empire Medal to Mrs. Frances Taylor. She has four children and a blind husband, but manages to keep house for them, as well as doing a full day’s work in a munition factory. Grounds Well Kept.

Praise for the appearances of school grounds at Hunterville, Parewanui, and Bulls, which he visited last month, was expressed by the chairman, Mr. E. F. Hemingway (Patea) at the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Education Board yesterday. “It was pleasing to note the excellent manner in which the grounds of each of these three schools are kept,” said Mr. Hemingway. “The children’s garden plot at the Bulls School was one of the best I have yet seen, there being an abundance of vegetables of various kinds.”

St. Patrick’s Day. To-day is St. Patrick's Day, the anniversary of the patron saint of Ireland. The feast of the saint in Wan ganui will be observed by the annual Irish concert in the Opera House tonight. Proceeds will be devoted to the Aubert Home of Compassion, which is undenominational in its activity. Like those of other early saints, St. Patrick’s life has a vast amount of legend associated with it. Neither the date of his birth nor that of his death is known for certain, but his highly successful missionary work in Ireland during the fifth century is well attested historically. He went there from France, probably via Wales, about the year 432, and his eloquence converted many chieftains and their followers, resulting in the firm establishment of Christianity. The shamrock, Ireland’s floral emblem, is reputed to have been used by St. Patrick to illustrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity. In the prewar days St. Patrick’s Day was observed in New Zealand as a bank holiday, but such is no longer the case.